PY3SFP: The Science of Face Perception

Module code: PY3SFP

Module provider: Psychology; School of Psych and Clin Lang Sci

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Jasmine Lee, email: jasminekarwye.lee@reading.edu.my

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE PY2RMP (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 12 September 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to provide students with a critical understanding of how the application of experimental psychology to an area of high intrinsic interest and practical relevance topic – face perception. It focuses on examining how research techniques and theories can be drawn from different disciplines (neuroscience, social psychology, biology, and evolutionary psychology) to enhance our understanding on face perception. Students will learn to develop a critical understanding of the key theoretical developments in face perception and to examine the factors affecting the application of experimental evidence and research techniques to the understanding of face perception. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the theoretical developments in face perception 
2. Critically discuss the application of face perception research to real world scenarios 
3. Apply domain-specific skills required to create face stimuli for face related research. 
4. Communicate to a wider audience the relevance of face perception theory  

Module content

Human faces are a rich source of information about people around us – from apparent gender, ethnicity, and age; to more subtle and implicit judgements such as making inferences about one’s personality, emotions, state of mind, and intentions about someone can be gleaned from a face.  

Using lectures, discussion, and problem-based learning, this module will explore key topics in the area of face processing – from how we extract information from faces to how we use facial information. We will also consider the leading theoretical models of face processing and discuss its contemporary research evidence.Complementary perspectives such as cognitive neuroscience, neuropsychological, evolutionary, and biological approaches will be used to explore these topics in detail. We will also see how the science of face could contribute to areas ranging from clinical disorders (i.e., autism, schizophrenia, and body image disorders) to forensic settings (i.e., eyewitness memory). 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module comprises 10 2-hour seminars involving lectures, discussion and flipped-classroom interactions; and 10 1-hour workshops on learning the skills required for face research and receive support and feedback for their assessments.

In addition to the hours listed below, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

1. Students will have the opportunity to prepare a proposal for the podcast assessment and will be provided with feedback during workshops, which can be incorporated when producing the final podcast. 
2. Students will have the opportunity to receive verbal feedback and comments during workshop, which they can incorporate when producing the final report.  

Reassessment

Additional costs